The Audi Fox shipped to US soil with a 1.6-liter inline-four able to a paltry 81 horsepower. It was by no means meant to be a quick automobile, however that didn’t hassle the proprietor of this uncommon Avant variant. Jonathan Yost is aware of a easy recipe to make a gradual automobile cool.
“I meant to maintain it old skool… principally unique. And, after all, get it as little as doable.” Good man. Ditch the ‘s’, and switch gradual into low.
In 2017, Jonathan flew north from the Los Angeles space to Oakland, California to choose up the automobile from a VAG fanatic, solely to search out out as he drove dwelling later that weekend that the engine was operating poorly as a consequence of a burnt exhaust valve. Whereas this fast disappointment may depart a bitter style within the mouths of some, it didn’t deter Jonathan from his final purpose of turning his outdated and barely run-down wagon into one thing particular.
After spending a decade at Lamborghini wrenching on uncommon European automobiles, just a little exhaust valve wouldn’t get in Jonathan’s means. So, one new cylinder head later, it was time to dive into the aesthetics.
The wagon “had seen higher days and had been repainted right here and there through the years,” Jonathan says, which was rectified by a recent coat of its metallic Marathon Blue, a colour from Audi’s ’76 paint palette.
Inside, a shiny Eighties-vintage wood Nardi steering wheel pairs properly with the shift knob and manufacturing facility woodgrain trim.
Whereas Jonathan went to nice lengths to personalize the Audi — including a number of touches from Lamborghini alongside the way in which — it’s nice to see a lot of its unique character and appeal continues to be maintained.
I really like the textures on automobiles from this period, and it’s spectacular to see how properly the supplies have held up. On that observe, a alternative dashboard and door panels had been sourced to tidy up the cabin, and a Pioneer stereo has been added together with a subwoofer.
Jonathan must construct a {custom} air suspension setup from the bottom as much as get the automobile to take a seat how he wished. No off-the-shelf air trip kits existed for the chassis, however, like that pesky exhaust valve, this wouldn’t get in the way in which of his imaginative and prescient. Shocks designed for a Volkswagen GTI had been mated to modified strut housings, and twin Viair 444 compressors are linked to twin Specialty Suspension tanks that reside, unsubtly, within the trunk. A custom-built panhard bar helps within the dealing with division.
The air suspension performs properly with face-mounted BBS RF wheels measuring a small however applicable 15×6 inches. It’s typically tempting to run bigger and bigger wheels as trip heights get decrease, nevertheless it’s refreshing to see that Jonathan didn’t succumb to this.
Low-profile Euro bumpers additional tidy up the outside, and you’ll have already observed that the facet strips, facet markers, and antenna had been shaved for a clear clean end throughout the massive flat physique.
On this kind, albeit at a stock-like trip peak and with manufacturing facility wheels and steering wheel reinstalled, Jonathan’s automobile was utilized in an Audi industrial for the RS6 Avant. You possibly can watch that by hitting the play button above.
After protecting and driving the Avant for a number of years, Jonathan ultimately offered the automobile. He moved on to different tasks together with a 964 and a 993, which he finally became a Porsche 911 GT3 RS that’s at present paired with a modified Honda CR-X. He’s additionally moved on from his job at Lamborghini, selecting as an alternative to wrench on exotics for his personal firm, Yost Auto Tailoring, in Costa Mesa, California.
Regardless of being surrounded by supercars all day, Jonathan says he nonetheless has a tender spot for the Avant. “I want I nonetheless had it, it’s simply such a particular, distinctive automobile that you just by no means see on the street.”
Trevor Ryan
Instagram: purposebuilt_trevor
www.purposebuilt.media
